Jesus, you're in low-roller nirvana! My "close" games are 45 minutes away, and have $10 minimums!
You know, what most surprises me about your debate with that dealer is that she debated back.
Anyway, if you want to try to camo your way back at that particular bar, then I'd recommend getting hammered. Go in, start pounding booze, and then play cards while plastered. If you're lucky, you can somehow make it seem like you're consuming more liquor than you really are. If you're really lucky, you can still count while drunk. Throw in some basic strategy mistakes. Ideally, smell like weed when you walk in the door. Spread bets wildly.
Then, do this every time you play cards there. You'd have a shot.